<p>All the dollar amounts we are discussing are someone’s guesses. I wonder what they are based on, if anything?</p>
<p>Parties are exspensive.</p>
<p>Apparently.</p>
<p>Our school district superintendent used her district charge card to throw a retirement party for an employee and invited 70 people.
But she* only* spent $3,800</p>
<p>But- when I was married- albeit 29 years ago- we spent $1,000 for the whole thing- including dress- rings- location rental , photography- etc.</p>
<p>mafool, I bet the amounts were researched based on other events. A simple centerpiece can be well over $150 and something like that would be lost under a tent, lavish flowers are needed to make it look like anything, plus lighting, they are probably hualing in trees, lounge furniture, etc.</p>
<p>This is certainly an over the top wedding, and no surprise, either. Just went to a wedding in May that was an upscale one but not celebrity, and some of the prices of things really made my eyes pop. And this was in Colorado! For NY, you can just about double those prices.</p>
<p>Had a beautiful, first class 80th birthday celebration for my MIL several years ago on the Shore at a very nice restaurant on the water for under $3K with all the bells and whistles with about 70 people there. </p>
<p>Anothercrazymom, my friend’s daughter’s very simple floral centerpieces for each dining table was $65 and looked like something that could be put together for $6.50. Another friend who opted to do the wedding at home, had her friends, including me do the centerpieces. She ordered tons of flowers and greenery wholesale and anything else needed to decorate. It looked beautiful despite our inexperience. Beautiful lilies, just perfect. If you go with a name designer it shoots the price way up.</p>
<p>These prices don’t seem outrageous to me at all given the incredible security and privacy concerns they have. They can’t just hire any vendor like we all can without checking them out completely. </p>
<p>I wonder to what extent there are lawyers / confidentiality agreements involved in some of this. For example, if I hire a calligrapher to address wedding invitations, well, no one really cares who my guest list is, but if I’m Hillary Clinton and I hire a calligrapher, I’ve got to make sure it’s someone who is discreet, who will agree not to disclose the guest list at any point even after the event, who can be trusted with personal addresses of big shots, etc. </p>
<p>Or if I hire a florist, and unbeknownst to me he employs illegal help to set up the flowers, no one cares. You can bet that whoever their vendors are, they are being scrubbed for this kind of thing because someone’s going to find all this kind of dirt out. </p>
<p>Take those examples and multiply by 100. You need people to do all this scouting and vetting for you, at that level. </p>
<p>The Clintons are doing exactly what rich people should do in this economy – spending it. I’m sure the florists and bakers and waiters and so forth in this area are delighted. Good for them.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Also, when you’re in the public eye like that, you HAVE to tip very generously. (Not that one shouldn’t tip well as appropriate!) But they may have to bake in, for example, the cost to the owner of closing a salon temporarily for security reasons, that type of thing.</p>
<p>Looks like the wedding isn’t as expensive as some are speculating.</p>
<p>From CNN:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Lafalum, I just read an article on People.com about that… I would love to see what they registered for, ha ha!</p>
<p>^^ Just checked weddingchannel.com and they aren’t listed… darn!</p>
<p>justamom-
That issue with the bride whose wedding is being affected by Chelsea’s was a question on “wait wait, don’t tell me” today!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh, I like that quote a lot.</p>
<p>Have now seen 3 photos from online news sources. </p>
<p>I am most looking forward to hearing how they combined the two religious traditions into the ceremony.</p>
<p>[The</a> Associated Press: Chelsea Clinton weds at exclusive New York estate](<a href=“http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iL5yBgbidOYMWlWnI2bqTMLMG71QD9HADOH00]The”>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iL5yBgbidOYMWlWnI2bqTMLMG71QD9HADOH00)</p>
<p>The dress is stunning, and Chelsea looked radiant.</p>
<p>I thought during the Presidential campaign, and continue to think now, that Hillary Clinton’s stylist is a genius. Mrs. Clinton’s hair and makeup was perfect.</p>
<p>Best wishes to the happy couple.</p>
<p>The pictures are lovely! CNN says it was an interfaith service with a Methodist minister and a Rabbi. They also are reporting that this poem was read,</p>
<p>“The Life That I Have”
By Leo Marks
The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours</p>
<p>The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours</p>
<p>A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause</p>
<p>For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours
And yours</p>
<p>The photos are lovely. I love the swirling look of the fabric of her dress.</p>
<p>I’m so glad that they have released the photos. Chelsea looks beautiful; I love the upswept hair and the long veil. Hillary looks spectacular. I can’t say that I like the green dress she wore to the rehearsal dinner, though. I’m wondering about the men’s clothing. The suits look very formal, yet they are not tuxes. The white shirts look formal, but they are wearing long ties. Then the article says that the guest are in black tie! Can anyone sort this out?</p>
<p>Here is another photo of Bill walking her down the aisle:</p>
<p>[It?s</a> official: Chelsea and Marc tie the knot - TODAY Weddings - TODAYshow.com](<a href=“http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38500111/ns/today-today_weddings/]It?s”>http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38500111/ns/today-today_weddings/)</p>
<p>The entire dress is shown. I don’t like it - the skirt is too frou-frou, and I hate the silver beading.</p>
<p>The guests are in black tie, but the groom and father of the bride are not? Or do the long black ties count?</p>
<p>Chelsea looked absolutely stunning. In fact the entire Clinton family has never looked better, or happier. Congratulations to them all
PS I loved the dress on her. Can’t wait to see more photos.</p>
<p>Black tie does not mean bow-tie only. The long, black ties “count.” </p>
<p>I love the silver beading and think the dress looks beautiful on her.</p>
<p>CF, Thanks for the link. The couple looks so happy and Chelsea looks magnificent. 
I love the dress. I think both Bill and Hillary have lost weight.</p>